Language Help: Translation & Interpretation

Select Your Language

Language Support

The City of Hillsboro offers translation and interpretation services to ensure that all community members have access to our information, services, and opportunities — no matter what language they speak.

In Washington County, one-in-four people speak a language other than English at home.

To best serve our diverse community, we offer language support — by request — for the top six languages spoken in Hillsboro:

English

Spanish

Hindi

Chinese (Simplified)

Chinese (Traditional)

Vietnamese

Support for additional languages, sign language interpretation, and accessibility assistance are also available by request to include, welcome, and engage people of all backgrounds and abilities.

Get Language Help & Accessibility Assistance

In-person Interpretation:

Show a staff member an iSpeak card. The staff member may ask a bilingual coworker for help or call a phone or video interpreter.

At City Council Meetings:

Wordly provides automatic language translation into dozens of languages through Artificial Intelligence (AI) and provides captions or audio on your phone or computer. Visit our City Council Meetings webpage for more information.

Interpretation at Other City Programs, Meetings, or Events:

Email us, call 503-681-6100, or TTY 503-681-6284 at least 72 hours prior to the meeting or event.

Translation of Written Materials:

Email us, call 503-681-6100, or TTY 503-681-6284

Website & Engage Hillsboro Translation

You can translate this City of Hillsboro website using your web browser and change the language on Engage Hillsboro using the platform's built-in tool. See instructions below.

Information in Spanish:

The City shares communications in Spanish through our Spanish Resources Guide, Creciendo Juntos email newsletter, Noticias webpage, Conéctate Hillsboro platform, and on the Ciudad de Hillsboro Facebook & Instagram pages.

Accessibility Assistance:

Email us, call 503-681-6100, or TTY 503-681-6284

iSpeak Cards & Posters

iSpeak cards and posters are available at all City of Hillsboro facilities and make it easy to ask for help in your language.

Just show the card to a staff person — or point to the language you need on the poster — and we’ll provide free interpretation support.

You can also print an iSpeak card and carry it with you or show us the digital card on your mobile device.

View, Print, or Share an iSpeak Card

Spanish

Hindi

Chinese (Simplified)

Chinese (Traditional)

Vietnamese

All Other Languages & Sign Language — write the language on the card or point to it on a poster

How to Translate Our Website: Hillsboro-Oregon.gov

Use these instructions to help you translate Hillsboro-Oregon.gov — or any webpage — into another language.

Helpful Tip: Set your default browser language on your personal devices and computers to make translating webpages easier and to see browser menus and tools in the language you choose. Instructions are included for each browser below.

Translate Websites on a Mobile Device

Google Chrome Mobile

Translate Webpages

Open the webpage in Google Chrome Mobile.

If you don't have the app, you can download it for free.

Click the three dots icon on the top right to open the menu.

Select Translate... from the menu options.

The browser will translate the page into your default language.

To choose another language, select the gear icon and click More Languages.

Select your preferred language from the dropdown menu.

Set Your Default Language & the Display Language for Menus & Settings

Optional: Select the default language for Chrome translation

Open Google Chrome Mobile and select the three dot icon to open the menu.
Select Settings.
Scroll all the way down and select Languages.
At the bottom of the screen, select Advanced.
Tap Translate into this language.
Scroll through the language list to select the language you want.

Optional: Set the display language for Chrome Mobile menus and settings.

Under Chrome’s language at the top of the screen, click the current language and select the language you want from the list.

After the language downloads, tap Restart at the bottom of the screen to restart Chrome Mobile.

Safari Mobile

Translate Webpages

From your mobile device, open a webpage in Safari.
Select the translation icon in the address bar.

In the address bar, look for a small speech bubble icon or the letters aA.
Select on the icon.

Select a language from the dropdown menu.

Select Translate to [your language].

Confirm translation (first-time only).

If it’s your first time using Safari’s translation feature, it may ask you to enable translation.
Select Enable Translation if prompted.

Optional: Set a Default Language on iPhone & Safari Mobile

Setting a default language on an iPhone will also set the default language in the Safari Mobile app.

Open the Settings app.
Select General.
Select Language & Region.
Under Preferred Languages, select Add Language... .
Select your language from the dropdown menu.

Translate Websites on a Desktop or Laptop Computer

Google Chrome

Translate Webpages

Open the webpage in Chrome and right-click on a blank spot on the page. Do not right-click on an image.
Select Translate to... The browser will translate the page into your default language.
To choose another language, select menu by clicking the three dot icon on the top right of the pop-up. Then select Choose another language.
Select your preferred language from the dropdown menu.
Click the Translate button.

You can also copy and paste the web address into Google Translate or another online translation tool.

Optional: Set Your Default Translation & Display Language

Select the default language.

On your computer, open Chrome. At the top right, select the three dot icon and then Settings.
On the left, select Languages.
Under Google Translate select the dropdown menu next to Translate into this language.
Select the language that you want from the language list.

Set the display language for settings and menus. (Only available on Windows computers.)

Open Chrome on your Windows computer. At the top right, select the three dot icon and then select Settings.
On the left, select Languages.
Under Preferred Languages select the three dot icon next to the language you’d like to use. You can also click Add languages if the languages is not listed.
Select Display Google Chrome in this language.
Click the Relaunch button to restart Chrome and apply the changes.

Microsoft Edge

Open the webpage in Edge and right-click on a blank spot on the page. Do not right-click on an image.
Select Translate to from the dropdown menu. The webpage will translate to your default language.
To choose another language, select the translate icon on the right side of the address bar.
Select your preferred language from the dropdown menu.
Click the Translate button.

Optional: Set Your Default Translation & Display Language

Open Edge on your computer. At the top right, select the three dot icon menu and then select Settings.
On the Settings page, click on Languages from the menu on the left.
On the Languages page, make sure that Offer to translate pages that aren't in a language I read is set to on. Click on Add languages to add your preferred language.
Check the box next to the language(s) you’d like to add and click the Add button.
Websites will appear in the first supported language from the Preferred languages list. Edge will offer to translate webpages that are not in a language from your list. To re-order your preferences, select the three dot icon to the right of a language.
To set the display language for settings and menus, select the three dot icon next to the language you’d like to use. Click Display Microsoft Edge in this language.
Restart your computer for the setting to take effect.

Safari

Translate Webpages

Open the webpage in Safari.
Select the translation icon in the address bar.

In the address bar, look for a small speech bubble icon or the letters aA.
Click on the icon.

Select a language from the dropdown menu.

Click Translate to [your language].

Confirm translation (first-time only).

If it’s your first time using Safari’s translation feature, it may ask you to enable translation.
Click on Enable Translation if prompted.

Optional: Set a Default Translation Language on Macbook

Click the Apple Menu in the top-left corner of your screen.
Select System Settings (or System Preferences on older operating systems).
Click General > Language & Region.
Click the + button under Preferred Languages.
Select your desired language and click Add.
Choose Use [Language] when asked to set it as the default.

Screenshots show how to set a default language on a Mac computer

Translate Engage Hillsboro

Engage Hillsboro has built-in translation tools. You may also engage with us in Spanish on Conéctate Hillsboro.

How to Translate Engage Hillsboro

Your Rights to Inclusive Services

The City of Hillsboro is here to help you access the services you need in a language you understand and provide accessibility assistance.

Language Assistance Under the Civil Rights Act

Accessible Communications Under the Americans with Disabilities Act

Contact Us

Need help? For language help, accessibility assistance, or other support with City of Hillsboro communications, please email us, call 503-681-6100, or TTY 503-681-6284.